A Beta is all about helping Microsoft find and fix bugs for their next release and trial the software and provide feedback.

So as I'm an unpaid software tester, should I actually be invoicing Microsoft for my time?

If this is going to be a continuing principle you aren't going to see me downloading any more Beta's, I'll wait till the full version. I believe this is a mistake because beelieve me in previous versions Microsoft needed all the help it could get, I remember
97!

Reasoning: Look you're getting FULLY functioning software. You know how many people who didn't have office now do because of this? You know how many college kids, and employees of companies are getting results because of the beta? If you were
to probably measure the amount of money that was transacted because of the beta providing someone the resources to do something I'm willing to bet it far outweighs the $1.50 per download.

Hey could be worse, Apple charges people to beta the OS. As if having to buy a new version every year wasn't bad enough.

Reasoning: Look you're getting FULLY functioning software. You know how many people who didn't have office now do because of this? You know how many college kids, and employees of companies are getting results because of the beta? If you were
to probably measure the amount of money that was transacted because of the beta providing someone the resources to do something I'm willing to bet it far outweighs the $1.50 per download.

True, but it's not going to work forever only a few more months if that. So in effect you've just rented the copy paying with your time and $1.50.

Microsoft will make a truck load of cash from the new release, this is actually a golden opportunity to say a bit of a thank you to the community, it's not much to ask after all, this fee seems abit like a kick in the nuts. Only genuine testers please.

﻿True, but it's not going to work forever only a few more months if that. So in effect you've just rented the copy paying with your time and $1.50.

Microsoft will make a truck load of cash from the new release, this is actually a golden opportunity to say a bit of a thank you to the community, it's not much to ask after all, this fee seems abit like a kick in the nuts. Only genuine testers please.

Are there Time Bombs associated with the O2007 releases? What if it is like Vista Beta 2 (I think) was? A whole year. Would you rent a movie for two months for $1.50? Would you buy a movie for 6 months for $1.50? PLUS maybe this is Microsofts way of testing Profit
Per License vs. Profit Per Volume?

If Microsoft can get as many people to pay the $1.50 during the download "test" that downloaded it for free, you think they'll make some money?

Don't kid yourself Sabot, Microsoft while nice to us Niners is still a company.

I suspect they're discovered that the large number of betas downloaded hasn't been reflected in either the volume or quality of beta reports. A small charge won't dissuade those genuinely interested but will stop the "must have" crowd from just downloading
it for the sake of it.